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THE KING'S PALACE 



fXS> 




Written by J J 

ANNA LOUISE STRONG 

Author of 



'^- .. 



The Song of the City," etc. 



Illustrated by 

MARGARET JOSENHANS 



t-'^ftSJi 



Copyright 1908 by 
Oak Leaves Company 

I \ 



Oak Leaves Company 

Oak Park, Illinois 






LlBRftfiY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

DEC 26 1903 

Copynttiit tntry 
ULftSS CV- XXc. No, 

7.X.4 '^ 4 « 

COPY o. 






Dedicated 
To My Grandmother 



I 



Hi 



THE KING'S PALACE 




THE KING'S PALACE 



\ 



SCENE ONE 

(Mrs. Raymond's sitting-room; Mrs. Ray- 
mond is seated at a table pouring coffee; Mr. 
Gardiner lounges near by, comfortably smok- 
ing; Philip Darrell is rising to go. A sunset 
is visible through the western windows.) 

MRS. RAYMOND 

You are going, are you? Elise will be down 
in a moment. 

„v PHILIP (awkwardly and nervously) 

Yes — well — if you would be so good. I did 
want to see Elise for a moment, (He sits 
down nervously on the edge of a chair. Mrs. 
Raymond speaks with an obvious attempt to 
put him at his ease.) 

MRS. RAYMOND 

Elise will be very sorry not to have you at 
her — little party. .'^ " 



THE KING'S PALACE 

-.^ /^ GARDINER 

It must be a pleasure to be missed by Miss 
Raymond, a pleasure only to be balanced by 
the unhappiness of not attending her first 
affair. 

MRS. RAYMOND 

Oh, Philip will come to all the others. They 
are old friends, childhood playmates. 

GARDINER 
Ah, a favored friend ! Hov^ fortunate ! 

PHILIP 

I have to go west — on business. Oh — (He 

rises as Elise enters.) 

ELISE 

How are you, Phil? Good afternoon, Mr. 
Gardiner. (Philip sinks back into his seat) 

GARDINER 

We were hoping for a glimpse of you, in 
spite of the preparations for your festivities. 

(Elise smiles rather vaguely, then she 
catches sight of the sunset.) 



THE KING'S PALACE 



ELISE 

Oh! (She goes to the window and sits "^ 
down where she can see the sunset without ,;? 
too much impoHteness to the guests. Philip i 
rises hesitatingly and goes to sit by her. 
Gardiner chats with Mrs. Raymond.) 

ELISE 

Look at that gold! And that— oh, that 
wonderful dark, dark — is it purple or almost a 
green? i^ :^ 

PHILIP (in a matter of fact tone) 
Yes, it's a lovely sunset. 

ELISE (disappointedly) 
Oh! 

PHILIP (miserably) 

Now, I have displeased you. I v/ish — oh, 
hcv/ do you expect me to think of sunsets? 

ELISE 

But see the clouds! Those high, shining 
banks with the black between. It's like a 
gateway to a King's Palace. -'^' 




THE KING'S PALACE 

MRS. RAYMOND (turning) 
Are you two off on that silly old game 
again? 

ELISE \ \ 

] 
No, Mother. j 

PHILIP 

What game? (Gardiner begins to look in- 
terested.) 

MRS. RAYMOND 
The King's Palace. 




ELISE 

I merely said that the sunset , looked like a 
gateway, a palace gateway. 



GARDINER (feeling his way) 
And of course every palace is a king's 
palace? 

ELISE (surprise4 ancf' pleased) 
Why, yes. 

GARDINER 
And every palace gateway is an opening 
into — into — 



THE KING'S PALACE 



/ 







ELISE 
Oh, did you ever play it? 

MRS. RAYMOND 
You funny child ! Of course not. ^ ^ .^^ <^ 

GARDINER V-*^. ^^ 
I have played at many things. 

MRS. RAYMOND 

(laughingly to Gardiner) 
And always. Did you ever do anything else? 

GARDINER 
Why should I? I get all I want without. 

MRS. RAYMOND 

\ 

Always? % 

GARDINER 
Provided the others are serious. . 
MRS. RAYMOND \ 
Poor others! ^.a 

GARDINER IM 
Oh! no! Why? 1^ 

PHILIP (to Elise)\ 
Elise, I want to see you before I go. 



THE KING'S PALACE 

j /^ ELISE 

How serious you are. You'll see me often 
enough. You always have and I suppose you 
always will, from this time forth and even — 

GARDINER (catching the last words) 
Lucky young man! Forevermore is a long 
time, and under the circumstances a most 
pleasant one. And how often am I to see you, 
Miss Raymond? 

ELISE (embarrassed) 
I don't know. I suppose it depends. 

GARDINER 
On you. 

ELISE 
Oh! 

GARDINER 
Am I to have a dance at the great event? 
Or were they all promised years and years ago? 

ELISE 
Of course you may ; I should be — very much 
honored. (Then as Gardiner scrutinizes her 
with an amused smile, she proceeds with some 



THE KING'S PALACE 

embarrassment.) Years and years ago? How 
funny! One doesn't — 

GARDINER 
Knowing your mother, I do not think your 
first birthday would have been too soon to 
have engaged the dance. 

MRS. RAYMOND 

(smiling acknowledgement) 
You improve daily. 

GARDINER (to Elise) 
But how about the King's Palace? 

ELISE 
Oh, that was a game I used to play. 

MRS. RAYMOND 
A very childish game. 

GARDINER 
With Philip? 

PHILIP 

Yes. 

ELISE 
Somretimes. 



II 



THE KING'S PALACE 

PHILIP (with a sudden fierceness) 
Whom else? 

ELISE 
h, you weren't always in it, Philip. Some- 
times I was quite, quite alone. 

GARDINER 
In the palace? 

ELISE 

\ No, in playing. It was never lonely in the 

palace. 

GARDINER 
Of course not. Palaces are always all that 
one desires. 

ELISE (with interest) 
How do you know? Do you own one, too? 

GARDINER (with a smile) 
Ah, that would be telling. 

PHILIP (pleading) 

But it was best when we played together, 
wasn't it? 



12 




THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE (weighing the matter) 

In some ways. And in some ways it was 
nicer alone. 

GARDINER \ \ 

Didn't Philip play well? You should try me. 
I am very good at playing. 

ELISE 

Oh, Philip was very, very obliging. — But I 
don't think he always saw much sense in the 
game. ^^ ^j$^ 

MRS. RAYMOND (apologetically) 

Philip was older than you, my dear, and 
much more sensible. 

ELISE .-.aiB^''^*''****^ ~^' ' 

It began with fairy-tales, I think. And with 
dadda's music. 

MRS. RAYMOND - /^ 
Elise is so imaginative. She used to make me 
read fairy-tales by the hour. 

ELISE 
Poor mamma. I know you hated them. 



13 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MRS. RAYMOND 

(with a virtuous air of motherly sacrifice) 

She gets it from poor dear Henry, 

GARDINER 
Oh, I intended to ask you. How is Mr. Ray- 
mond's new departure coming on? A sym- 
phony, wasn't it? 

MRS. RAYMOND 
Quite well, musically, that is. He gets long 
letters of compliments, and from really good 
people. But financially — Oh, imagination is 
interesting, but not paying. If it weren't that 
I have some money of my own — (She sighs.) 

GARDINER (to Elise) 
And to continue — 

ELISE 
Oh, the King's Palace. There isn't much 
more to tell. It was simply a wonderful place, 
where everything happened exactly right. 

GARDINER 

As one wished? Or as one thought one ought 
to wish? 



14 



THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE (with pleased surprise) "t 

Both. For in the King's Palace one always 
wishes the things one ought. 

GARDINER 
Of course ! How stupid of me ! 

ELISE 
And the people you love always love you. 

GARDINER 
But for that you would not need the palace. 

ELISE 

(smiling but a little impatient) 

I am talking in general. In the world outside 
— oh, sometimes I think love doesn't go right 
more than once in a thousand times. You adore 
one person and that person adores another, and 
that one still another, and so it goes. Perhaps 
it's because it's hard to have very much respect, 
still less adoration, for the opinion of a person 
who thinks too highly of you. 

GARDINER 

How wise we are ! ^^M^;^^*'***-^^.. 



15 



THE KING'S PALACE 



MRS. RAYMOND 
Why, Elise, dear, what dreadful ideas you 
have! 



-y 



•) 



ELISE (to Gardiner) 
Now you are laughing at me. 

/' GARDINER ^ 

I ! Never ! 

ELISE 

(conclusively, with a touch of defiance) 
So every time things didn't go right — in the 
world outside, I mean — I played King's Palace. 

GARDINER 
How charming! 

ELISE (seriously) 
Yes, it vvas very lovely. _ 

-^' ^-f PHILIP 

(who has been trying for some time to get in 
a word) 
I suppose — if I am to take the night train — 

(He rises and looks miserably at Elise.) 

GARDINER (to Mrs. Raymond) 
And really, I have imposed quite too long 



i6 



THE KING'S PALACE 

upon your patience. But — the temptation! 
There are some people one dislikes to leave, 
even at the risk of boring them. 

MRS. RAYMOND ^ 




Better and better! As if I didn't know the 
real attraction. ^^^^ 

/ GARDINER 

The two attractions. (To £lise) I have a 
dance, then, tomorrow night. 
(Elise nods.) Good afternoon. (Exit Gardiner) 

MRS. RAYMOND 

(to Philip, who still stands und-et^rmined) 

Don't go yet. You must have time enough 
before the train, unless you have other engage- 
ments? 



PHILIP 

Well, perhaps — ('He sits down.) 

MRS. RAYMOND ' 
I am sorry about tomorrow night. 

PHILIP 

So am I. 



17 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MRS. RAYMOND 
Especially since the labor of preparation will 
deprive me of your company now. (Philip 
starts to rise. She waves him back.) Oh, 
Elise will take care of you, won't you? 

ELISE 
Of course. 

MRS. RAYMOND 

Then allow me to wish you a pleasant jour- 
ney and a quick return. (She gives him her 
hand. Exit) 

(Elise wanders slowly around the table and 
then goes over to the window.) 

ELISE 
The sunset is faded and the golden gateway 
— is closed. 

PHILIP 

Elise? 

ELISE 
Yes? (She walks across the room and stops 
to fuss with the cups.) 

PHILIP 
Elise? { 



i8 



THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE (with a little impatience) 
Well? (Suddenly she catches sight of his eyes 
gazing intently at her and starts.) Oh! (She 
begins to talk rapidly and nervously, fighting 
against expression on his part.) Why, I am 
very sorry you are going west, Philip, very 
sorry. What business did you say? But never 
mind, I am sure you wouldn't go unless it was 
important. The west is a lovely place. I should 
like to go west some time. 

PHILIP (interrupting) 
Elise, did you mean what you said just now? 

ELISE (still rapidly) 
I suppose so. But I said so many things. 
Don't you think Mr. Gardiner is an interesting 
man? I think he's a little bit like father. And 
then he imderstands everything so well, about 
palaces, I mean. 

PHILIP (doggedly) 
I mean what you said about love, in the 
world outside, and its not coming right but 
once in a thousand times. ' > 



19 



THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE (slowly) 
Well, I suppose that's true, usually. (Again 
she catches sight of his face and hurries on.) 
Of course I don't know that it's mathematically 
correct. I was never any good at mathematics. 
Perhaps (seeking relief in flippancy) ten 
thousand would be nearer. What do you think? 

^*"' PHILIP ■'^^ 
I hope not. Now — now — I love you, Elise. 
(despairingly) You love me, don't you? 

^'^^ge ELISE 
Don't, don't, I*hilip. Oh dear, oh dear, I'm 
so sorry. 

"-' *^ PHILIP "" 

4^ coming irresolutely nearer after a pause) 
^Don't be sorry, Elise. It's not your fault. 

\\\^ ELISE //^ 
Oh, Philip, I like you ever so much, you 
know. 

PHILIP 
I know. And you have never — you have never 
given me any reason to — It's not your fault. 



THE KING'S PALACE 




Elise. You have always done everything you 
should. 

ELISE ' 

Thank you, Philip. 

PHILIP 

But, you see, I couldn't help hoping, and I 
can't help it now. y 

ELISE 
Don't hope, Philip. It's no use. Never. 

PHILIP 

I know I'm not nearly good enough, Elise. 
I always knew that. 

ELISE 
Oh, hush, you are very good, Philip. 

PHILIP 

I know I don't understand things — about 
palaces. And I can't talk the way Gardiner 
does. But, Elise, I really think I feel the things 
he says as much as he does. Perhaps even 
more. Now tonight when you talked of the 
gold and the purple-green and all I could say 
was "It's a lovely sunset," I know you were 



lilip. \ 



I 



THE KING'S PALACE 

disappointed, Elise. And all the time I thought 
— oh, what does it matter what I thought? 

ELISE 
Don't hope, Philip. It's no use. Never. 

PHILIP 
I would try to play, you know I would. 

ELISE 
^ would always be obliging, Philip. 

1%!^ PHILIP 

Well, and shall I tell you what I thought? 
That you belonged in the sunset, and that I 
did not know how to go there. And meantime 
the world was turning, turning, and would 
shut the sunset out of my sight so soon. 

(A pause.) 




i PHILIP 



I think I had better go now. 

p|^ ELISE 

I'Wi— I'm so very sorry (Then as he still sits 
there in utter dejection she bends over him 
with a semi-maternal sympathy.) If you want 



22 



THE KING'S PALACE 

i 
— ^would you like — just this once, to kiss me 

good-bye? 

PHILIP (seizing her hands) -^., 

Oh, EHse (she shrinks back involuntarily. 

He looks at her steadily for a moment) Thank 

you. No. Good-bye. (Exit quickly.) 

ELISE 

(sinking into a seat near the table) 
Oh, Philip, Philip, why did you? You were so 
nice and I liked you so much. (She fusses with 
the coffee cups and looks into the pitcher.) 
The coffee's all gone and the cakes, too. There 
isn't anything left but some of Mr. Gardiner's 
old ashes. (She brushes them nervously to 
the floor. Enter Mr. Raymond. Elise throws 
herself into his arms.) Dadda! 

MR. RAYMOND 

(holding her off at arms' length and looking 
at her afifectionately) 

Baby, baby, you surprise me. I thought I 
was to have a young lady daughter tomorrow 
night? 

ELISE 

But it isn't tomorrow night yet. 



23 





i 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MR. RAYMOND 
No, too bad, isn't it? Still another day before 
we are quite grown up. 

- "^ ELISE \ N, 

Oh, you don't know, dadda, you don't know 
how grown up I am. I don't like it to be grown 
* up. 

"^ MR. RAYMOND 

What's worrying the baby now? Can't it 
get the moon? 

ELISE 

Father! (Mr. Raymond looks at her seri- 
ously.) ^ " I 1^ 

MR. RAYMOND 
^^' Oh, it isn't dadda any more. Well, Elsie? 

^^^ ELISE 

Oh, dadda — (she stops) no! Why, why — 
I've a conundrum for you. 

' ' MR. RAYMOND 
Yes? 

ELISE 

Some of the girls were discussing it the other 
day. 



24 



THE KING'S PALACE 



MR. RAYMOND 
Ah, purely impersonal problem? 

ELISE 
Of course. 



,/ 



Oh! 



MR. RAYMOND 

.^1 




ELISE (gaily) 
Which would you choose, a man who was 
good but not interesting, or a man who was 
interesting but not — well, not good? 

MR. RAYMOND 
Impossible conditions, my dear ! A man who 
was good couldn't help being interesting — as 
a specimen. Rare extinct genus and all that 
sort of thing. 

ELISE \ 

Don't be funny, i mean it. 

MR. RAYMOND 
Choose? For what? Matrimony? 

ELISE 
Of course. 



25 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MR. RAYMOND 
Neither, my dear. I'd choose the lake, or a 
pistol, or carbolic acid at a pinch. 

i ELISE 

But if you married a man who was good 
but not interesting, you would want to kill 
him in a week, wouldn't you, dadda? 

1 MR. RAYMOND 

""'^ I ! Far be it from me, baby. And besides, 
I wouldn't marry a man. 

^1^ ELISE 
Do be sensible. A girl would. 

[| MR. RAYMOND 

/WHat? Marry him? 




I ]if;i!jl i ELISE 

No, Want to kill him. 

MR. RAYMOND 
But if you married a man who was interest- 
ing but not good, he might kill you instead. 

ELISE (with a mock-virtuous air) 
I would rather be killed than be a murderess. 



26 




THE KING'S PALACE 

MR. RAYMOND 
That's because you are good. 

ELISE 
And not interesting. 

MR. RAYMOND | W-' 

Oh, some people are both. And when they\ 
happen to be pretty as well — ^you just wait till *\ 
tomorrow night. 

ELISE 
Will it be very beautiful, like a dream come 
true? 

MR. RAYMOND 
No, like an awakening. I think — I hope you 
will like it. 

(Elise goes to the window and looks out 
then turns suddenly.) 

ELISE 
Father, is it wicked of me to feel so ex- 
cited and happy? 

MR. RAYMOND 
Wicked? Why? 



27 



THE KING'S PALACE 

A ELISE (seriously) 

Because I think it is. 

MR. RAYMOND 
What's the matter, Elise? 

ELISE 
Because just five^minutes ago I felt very 
miserable. j 

^1 MR. RAYMOND 
Well? 

; ELISE 

And tonight, when I think things over, I 
am sure, (with determination) quite sure, 
that I shall feel miserable again. I ought to 
feel miserable, but I don't. Only excited. 

MR. RAYMOND (quickly) 
\ Who's been here? Gardiner? 

ELISE 
And Philip. 

MR. RAYMOND 
Oh, Philip's not exciting. Why, Elsie, what's 
the matter? 

28 




THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE 

(dropping her head on his shoulder) 
Nothing. 

MR. RAYMOND (patting her head) 
There, there, Elsie. (He holds her face away 
from him and looks at her questioningly. She 
nods.) Poor baby. It was too sudden, baby. 
I thought it would come tomorrow night — the 
awakening. (She releases herself slowly.) So 
you have grown up (she nods) ; you have left 
your dolls, (she nods) your palaces — 

ELISE 
Have I? Oh, must I? 

MR. RAYMOND 
Haven't you, haven't y<m? Well, we'iJ «ee 
what your mother can do for it tomorrow 
night. We'll sec if the glory and glamor of a 
ball are not a fit substitute for palaces. 

ELISE ^^^t? 

And are they? 

MR. RAYMOND 
Ah, who knows, who knows? 



29 




THE KING'S PALACE 




MRS. RAYMOND (calling from without) 
Elsie, Henry, dinner. 

MR. RAYMOND (laughingly) 
That at least is the call of reality. 

(Exeunt.) 

^ . ' : 

End of Scene I. 




i\ 



30 



THE KING'S PALACE 



SCENE TWO 

(A large veranda, partly shut in by trees 
and vines. Behind are windows through which 
come the light and music of a dance. A door 
opens from the room behind and Elise comes 
out, followed by Gardiner.) 

y ELISE "=^ 

(drawing a long breath and holding out her 
^ arms) 

*^How good this is! (Gardiner looks at her 
with a swift, scrutinizing smile.) 

Why do you suppose they think they are 
having a good time back in there? Don't they 
know — this? (vaguely indicating the night, 
everything included) 



GARDINER 

Would you want them to? If they knew, 
we could not have the veranda alone. 



31 



THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE 
Of course I should want them to be happy 
— as happy as I am. 

(From time to time Gardiner continues to 
smile at her with amused scrutiny, but it makes 
little difference, as she seldom looks directly 
at him.) 

GARDINER 'V 
But as long as they enjoy it, why not? It 
was a pleasant party. 

ELISE 
Oh, it was beautiful. The lights and the 
music and the red roses. I am so glad mother 
wouldn't let me see it till it was all ready. 
And the dancing and the people; it was very 
exciting. I thought at first I should never have 
enough of it. 

^: GARDINER 

Yet you let me bring you away for our 
dance. Thank you for the sacrifice. 

ELISE 
Sacrifice, oh no! Do you know, I thought 
I enjoyed it in there, but as soon as I stepped 



32 



THE KING'S PALACE 

into the darkness I knew that the whole even- 
ing had been one long restlessness and that 
this (She draws a long breath and indicates 
by a slight, swaying movement the night and 
the trees.) was what I wanted. 

GARDINER 
And shall I tell you what else you thought? 

y-^ ELISE 




7^:^::l GARDINER 
That this was much more like — the King's 
Palace. 

ELISE (with a low cry of joy) 

Oh, you know it, you know it. How do you 
know? Philip never could guess. 

GARDINER 
Perhaps he didn't care to as much as I? 

ELISE (with serious justice) 
Oh, yes, he did. Philip was very nice. He 
always tried. 

GARDINER 
Perhaps then it's because I've — I've — 



33 



THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE 
You've been in the King's Palace. Oh, I 
thought you had. 

GARDINER 
Who knows? 

ELISE 
How lovely! Then you must tell me all 
about it. Was your palace in a deep, deep 
valley v/here the trees grew so close that 
when you once got in you never could get out 
again, or was it on the shore of a wild sea 
where the waves beat under the palace walls 
all night long? 

GARDINER 
For me there were many places and many, 
many palaces, yet they all belonged to the 
same king. 

ELISE 

Why, that's the loveliest of all! And where 
was the last one? 

GARDINER 
The last one was in a girl's eyes. 



34 



THE KING'S PALACE 




"On the shore of a wild sea where 
the waves beat under the palace walls 
all night long." 



35 



THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE (puzzled) 
Why, that's pretty. But it doesn't seem like 
the same game. (She laughs.) Oh, now it's I 
that do not understand, and it used to be 
PhiHp. But never mind ; we shali manage beau- 
tifully. For do you know — (She leans over the 
railing and takes a long look at the stars, draws 
a deep breath, and whispers laughingly and 
confidentially.) we are in the King's Palace 

GARDINER 
What a beautiful roof! 

ELISE 
A roof of Ught and darkness! 

?, ft'^^.'f GARDINER 
And wiiere are the walls? 

Y \\ \\ ELISE , 
There are no walls. There used to be, but 
they grew and they grew and they grew till 
they took in all the earth and the sun and the 
moon and the stars, and now they're so far 
away that you can't even think the distance. 



36 





THE KING'S PALACE 

GARDINER * 
I think the walls are very narrow and shut 
us in all by ourselves, so that the people there, 
can't even see inside. 

ELISE ;f^ / 

Oh, but everyone could get into the King's 
Palace, if they only wanted to. The King's 
Palace must be big. J 

GARDINER 
No, it is small, very small. This palace is» 

ELISE (sighing) 
All right, if you want it that way. But next 
time I'm going to have it big. 

GARDINER 
And may I play king in the palace? \ 

ELISE (doubtfully) 
Why — why — nobody was ever king ! 

GARDINER 
So you were a maiden queen, the only ruler. 

ELISE (surprised) \ 
Why, no, I wasn't queen, I just went there. 



37 



THE KING'S PALACE 

There was no king — that is, no king you could 
ever see. There was only — the King's Palace. 

GARDINER 
Ah, but you must have a king, you know. 
I'll play king. 

ELISE (troubled) 
Very well. But it doesn't seem quite right 
to have any one be king. It will have to be 
another game altogether. 

GARDINER 
Isn't it a nice game? 

ELISE 
I think it will be. We'll try. 

GARDINER (slowly) 
Then I'll be king, and I have many palaces. 
But this is the most beautiful of all. For in it 
lives a maiden with deep, deep eyes and 
lovely hair and a wonderful smile. And she is 
the queen of the palace and of all the palaces 
if she will. And every evening we wander to- 
gether over the dark earth and under the dark 
trees, till we come to an open space by a little 



38 



THE KING'S PALACE 

lake, where the long thick grass grows down 
to the water's edge. (A pause.) 

ELISE (with a satisfied sigh) 
That's lovely! 

GARDINER (slowly and significantly) 
And we sit down on the grass by the lake. 
And at first we talk, and then for a while the 
night birds sing and the crickets chirp and 
then there is — silence. (A pause. Elise draws 
a deep breath. Gardiner goes on more rapid- 
ly.) For my queen knows, as I know, too, that 
there is but one thing worth while in life, but 
one use for the King's Palace, and that is — 
this! (He embraces her passionately, kissing 
her on the mouth.) 

ELISE (struggling) 
No — oh — no. 

GARDINER (kissing her face and throat) 
And this — and this — 

(Elise succeeds in freeing herself and leans 
weakly against a pillar for support.) 



39 




THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE (angrily and miserably) 
No — oh, no. 

GARDINER 
Elise, I am mad. Elise, Elise, I adore you! 

^(,, ELISE (gasping) 

I must go in — I must go in (She starts to the 
door.) :^„^^^ 

GARDINER 
Elise, listen, hear me. 

ELISE 
I must go in, I must — Oh, I can't go in, not 
yet. (She leans against the house near the 
door.) 

^; GARDINER (approaching) 



^ , ELISE 

Don't touch me! 

GARDINER, (appealing) 
Elise! 

ELISE 
I'll listen, I'll listen. Only don't come any 
nearer. 



/lO 



^ ./\ 



T HE KING'S PALACE 

GARDINER 

But don't you see, Elise, don't you see? This 
is really the end, the height, the climax of all 
those dreams, those dreams of the King's Pal- 
ace. 

ELISE 

Oh, you have spoiled it. It was never that 
way at all. 

GARDINER 

You did not know? I thought you knew, but 
I believe now that you didn't. But whether 
you knew or not, it is true. 

ELISE (still dazed) 
What is true? 

GARDINER \ 

That there is but one thing worth while in 
life, but one use for the King's Palace. 

ELISE 
No, oh no. There were otheirs. 

GARDINER 

Elise, listen. Your dreams, your King's 
Palace, — that is play. This is real. And this 



41 



THE KING'S PALACE 

is the fulfilment of the dream. It is what you 
want without knowing that you want it. Ro- 
mance — did you not dream of it in the palace? 
Why else the lonely valley and the wild sea? 
What is all your dreaming but a longing for 
romance? And did you never, in the very 
midst of the dream, in the very heart of the 
palace, did you never feel a sudden restlessness, 
a sudden dissatisfaction, a sudden craving for 
the touch of the real? Did you never ques- 
tion? 

ELISE (unwillingly) 
Yes. 

GARDINER 
And this is the answer. This is the romemce 
which is also real. This is what you have 
dreamed and more. Do not hold back from 
the completion of the vision. Give yourself 
up to it — entirely, gloriously. Come now, it 
is reasonable, is it not? You have dreamed; 
accept the answer. (He comes nearer.) 

ELISE 
Don't touch me! — I wish I knew; I wish I 
knew. 



42 



THE KING'S PALACE 

GARDINER ^., 

I_know. Take my word for it. I have lived 
somewhat longer than you and I have known 
life. And I bring you word that the one thing 
worth while in it is romance, — romance of 
dream, romance of adventure, romance of mad- 
ness, romance of love. (He comes slowly 
nearer.) 

ELISE (gasping for breath) 
Don't. Oh, I wish I knew! I wonder — ^ 

(As he is about to reach her and is standing 
in front of the door to the room, it opens and 
Mrs. Raymond appears in a blaze of light. 
Elise and Gardiner start back.) 

MRS. RAYMOND ; ^\; 

Where have you been, Elise? They hav6 
been asking for you. You missed two dances. 

GARDINER (recovering himself) 
How the light startled us ! We were just at 
the door on our way in. I am sorry to have 
detained Miss Raymond. The night was so 
beautiful and we have been discussing the 
King's Palace. 



43 




THE KING'S PALACE 



MRS. RAYMOND 
Sio you are going to humor that pretense 



too? 



; GARDINER 

IT It is a beautiful pretense. (To Elise, as she 
enters.) And consider my views, Miss Ray- 
mond, on the King's Palace. They are the true 
ones. J 

ELISE (in a choked voice) 
I I shall have to consider them. (Exit with 
V Mrs. Raymond.) 

J GARDINER 

* So? (He looks at the sky, whistles a low 
tune and goes into the room.) 



End of Scene Two. 




44 



THE KING'S PALACE 

SCENE THREE 

(Mrs. Raymond's sitting room, after the ^ 

dance. Mrs. Raymond busy looking over 
some of the details that need clearing up be- 
fore retiring. Enter Elise. She lays her hand 
wearily on her mother's shoulder.) 

^ ELISE ^gHr»« 

I am so tired, mother, so tired. ,_:==^*— 

MRS. RAYMOND ^ 

Yes, it is later than you are used to. You "^ 
must go to bed. ^ 

ELISE ^ 

But, mother, it is not that kind of tired. 

^ MRS. RAYMOND 

There is only one kind of tired, my dear. 

ELISE (making aj^ovement of protest) 
No— -11^-^— "" -—-->. 




45 



V 

\ 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MRS. RAYMOND 
You will be all right in the morning. Come. 

ELISE 
I don't want to be alone just now. Please. 
Just for a little while. 

MRS. RAYMOND (impatiently) 
What do you want? 

ELISE 
Please be good, mother. Now sit here. ( She 
puts a cushion on a low chair, makes her 
mother sit down, then throws herself on the 
floor with her head against her mother's knees. 
She takes her mother's hands and places them 
on her forehead.) Now dear, you can do 
whatever you want, but don't speak to me, for 
I'm going to pretend. 

MRS. RAYMOND 
What are you going to pretend? 

/^% ' ELISE 

That you are my mother. My really, truly 
mother, the mother I had — in the King's Pal- 
ace. 



46 



THE KING'S PALACE 



MRS. RAYMOND 
That game! But you are too old for tfiat 
now. ^ v-v /if 

ELISE J^ ^ 

Let me. Just for a little while. / '^" 

(A pause. Mrs. Raymond looks uneasily^ 
toward the other rooms of the house.) 

^ \ ir^ 

MRS. RAYMOND 
I am needed. I'll be back soon. (Elxit.) 



ELISE 

(After a pause, raising her head drearily.) 

I wonder if the chair would do. (She pulls 
the cushion to the chair edge, and leans her 
cheek against it. After a moment she raises 
herself and begins to speak dreamily, straight 
in front of her, growing more and more ani- 
mated.) Oh, mother dear, oh mother dear, 
is it true, is it true? Be good to me, mother 
dear. I don't know — I don't know anything at' 
all. If you would only tell me so that I could 
be sure. (She drops back, then rises suddenly.) 
Oh, where are you? where are you? it is all so 



47 



THE KING'S PALACE 

far away tonight. Oh, you have left me alone. 
You don't care. (She rises, saying slowly:) 

"Oh, one to the King's high throne might win, 
Worthily rule in the palace halls. 

But never dream that he dwelt therein. 
And one would play with the coronals, 

Cdtint them all in a night and a day — 
Heigho, heigho, and away, away." 

The first is true, so true. I wonder about the 
second. The second— oh! (She stops with a 
long shudder of recollection, throws herself 
into a chair by the table and hides her face. 
At last she rises, goes wearily to the window, 
and looks out.) ^ ■^. *""^^^, 

Orion, and Sirius, and— oh, there are the 
Pleiades! And what a dear little cloud! (A 
pause, then passionately.) You, you beautiful, 
you wonderful, you! (Slowly and passionately 
she throws a kiss out of the window.) I love 
you, you. (She drops into a low chair beside 
the window, still gazing out. At last she lays 
her arm on the sill and drops her head on her 
arm. A long pause. Enter Mr. Raymond.) 



48 



THE KING'S PALACE 




"Orion and Sirius, and — oh, there 
are the Pleiades!" 



49 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MR. RAYMOND 
Well, baby! (Elise starts and rises.) Sleepy? 
Did you have a good time? 

ELISE 

(glancing at the chair by the window) 
I have had — a beautiful time. 

MR. RAYMOND (teasingly) 
I saw you go out on the porch with Gardiner. 

ELISE 
Yes? 

MR. RAYMOND 
Well? ^^.,«^ 

ELISE^ 
It was a beautiful night. 

MR. RAYMOND 
And Gardiner knows how to make the most 
of a beautiful night, eh? 

ELISE (shrinking) 
Don't, father. 

MR. RAYMOND 

(Kissing her forehead suddenly.) 
Forgive me, dear. But you like him? 



50 



THE KING'S PALACE 
ELISE u 

No. 1 i 

MR. RAYMOND /i 

Oh! (A pause.) U 

; mj 

ELISE ' ^^ 
Father, he's the most fascinating man I ever 
met. [^ 

MR. RAYMOND J; 
Ah, so? 

ELISE 
But I don't like him. He — he spoils my 
world. 

MR. RAYMOND 
Elise, dear, I think I am rather glad. You 
prefer Philip, then? 

ELISE 
Father, if I had to be married tomorrow, 
I'd take Philip. But— 

I 
MR. RAYMOND J] 

Well? , J \\ 

ELISE (gaily/' ^ 

I don't have to be married tomorrow. 



51 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MR. RAYMOND 
But sometime? 

ELISE 
No, never. 

MR. RAYMOND (lightly) 
He's an estimable young man. 



J«^ 



ELISE 

* Father, he is good. He is very, very good. 
He is kind, and generous, and he has rever- 
ence. Oh, I almost think that the one thing 
needful, the one thing that is best, is reverence. 
For yourself, you know, and for other people, 
and for everything you hold beautiful and 
good, yes, and for everything anyone holds 
beautiful and good, — because it is sacred to 
someone. But, but — (She hums lightly.) 

"Oh, one to the king's high throne might win, 
Worthily rule in the palace halls, 
And never dream that he dwelt therein." 

He would never know, father. 

MR. RAYMOND 
About what? 



52 



THE KING'S PALACE 




ELISE 
Oh, about everything. 

MR. RAYMOND 

I see. He has reverence without understand- 
ing, while Gardiner understands (Elise nods.) 
and does not reverence. Ji 

ELISE ^j 
Does one understand, really, truly, without 
reverence? 

MR. RAYMOND 
Some people would say one doesn't under- 
stand with it. There, there, baby, I didn't 
mean it that way. I think, I rather think you 
may be right. And yet Gardiner spoils Philip 
for you (Elsie starts and acquiesces.) even as 
Philip spoils Gardiner. And neither of them 
would do for the King's Palace. 



ELISE 



Father! 



\ 



MR. RAYMOND 
Oh, baby, baby, do you think I've never 
been there — in the King's Palace? 



53 



THE KING'S PALACE 

ELISE 
I didn't know. I always thought — Have 
you? ^ , 

^^V^ MR. RAYMOND 

P We are most of us there some time. Most 
of us, not all. 

ELISE 
And isn't it beautiful? 

„ , , MR. RAYMOND 

W It was heaven. 

\ 1% ELISE 

Oh, why did you ever come away? 

iy%M\ \ ^^' RAYMOND 

Once upon a time — once upon a time, — 
when the prince had wandered a long way 
from the palace, he met a beautiful maiden. 

||/ ELISE (breathlessly) 

Yes, mother — go on". 

jjv MR. RAYMOND 

And she would not believe what he told her 
about the palace and she didn't much care for 
palaces anyway, and so — 



54 



THE KING'S 




ELISE (sadly) 
And so he had to stay away? 

MR. RAYMOND (lightly) 
And so he never wanted to come back to 
the palace again. 

ELISE (incredulously) 
He never wanted to? 

MR. RAYMOND 
At any rate he never came. (A pause.) 

MR. RAYMOND \ 

Well, are you going to come out of the pal 
ace, Elise? 

ELISE 
Is it nicer outside? 

MR. RAYMOND 

Of course — that is, it's much more comfort- 
able. At least — oh, at any rate one succeeds 
better. Your mother now, she's a success. 
And I — well, I don't suppose most people think 
I am. The little time I lived in the palace — 
it spoiled me for other things. 




55 



THE 


K I 


NO'S 


PALACE 






ELISE 








But that 
had stayed 


was because you 


left. 


Suppose you 




i MR. RAYMOND 






I don't 
needed — 


know, 


dear. But I 


should 


have 




? Ti/ri 


ELISE 


J 






What? ' 


3 ID A VTV/r/- 






A different world. *^ ^,^ 

ELISE 
Oh, but the world js different in the King's 
Palace. 

MR. RAYMOND (wearily) 
^ Is it, dear? I had almost forgotten. 

ELISE 
You worry me a little. I wish I knew. (She 
moves irresolutely to' the window.) Oh, the 
stars know everything. 

MR. RAYMOND 
In the King's Palace. (Enter Mrs. Ray- 
mond.) 



56 



l7 



THE KING'S PALACE 

MRS. RAYMOND (without seeing Elise) 

Well, it's over. Went off rather well, don't 
you think? 

MR. RAYMOND 
A most unusual evening. 

MRS. RAYMOND 
What do you suppose Gardiner means? I 
must speak to — (Mr. Raymond indicates 
Elise with a warning glance.) Elise! You 
here! I thought you had gone to bed. "^ 

(Elise comes forward with a light step.) 

ELISE 
I am going, mother. 

MR. RAYMOND 
And Elise, — Mr. Gardiner, you know — it's 
all right this time, but you really shouldn't 
again — at the beginning of your season, too. 

ELISE 
I do not think I care to see Mr. Gardiner 
again. 

MRS. RAYMOND 
Oh, I do not mean it that way. Just be — 



57 



THE KING'S PALACE 

well, there are plenty of other people, you 
know. Don't let him monopolize you. Not 
but what he's an interesting young man. 

rl^^'^S ELISE 

I do not think I care to see Mr. Gardiner 
again. 

MRS. RAYMOND 
iJWhat's got into you now? Is it Philip? 

^ ELISE 

[o, mother. 




MRS. RAYMOND 
.What do you expect to do then? 

"'«^ ELISE 

I am going back (with a radiant glance at 
her father) to the King's Palace. 

MRS. RAYMOND (contemptuously) 
The King's Palace? Oh, you mean your 
dolls. 

ELISE (stops, struck by the word) 
Dolls, do I? (She lets her hands fall with a 
despairing gesture.) Oh, I don't know. But I 



58 



THE KING'S PALACE 

am going, I am going, whether I know or not. 

(Exit. As she passes the window she sways 
toward it lightly, draws a deep breath, looking 
up at the stars, smiles, and goes out.) 

, THE END. 



-.^ 




59 



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